The Middle East and North Africa in the Emerging Global Cold War

An interdisciplinary conference hosted by the Middle East and North Africa reseach cluster

Conferences | Seminars

The fourth annual Middle East and North Africa research cluster conference focuses on existing and emerging security challenges in the Middle East and North Africa. In particular, the conference will consider ongoing conflicts, emerging flashpoints, and the potential for increased instability in an era of heightened international tension – what some scholars are terming a new global cold war.

Event details

Despite significant political and economic progress in parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the post-Arab Spring upsurge in violence in some areas is shaping the MENA as a whole.

The region is once again struggling with domestic and international conflicts. While much of the focus has been on violence in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen, broader divisions have re-emerged between regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and Israel. At the same time, political and security power vacuums in weak and failing states in the area have resulted in the internationalisation of domestic conflicts and their fallout. Sectarianism, extremism and ideological division between Islamists, secularists, and conservatives are also seemingly on the rise. These worrying trends have been reinforced by what some are calling an emerging cold war, characterised by intense competition at the global level between major powers, in particular the USA, Russia and China. Regional and global balances of power, alliance-formation, security dilemmas, proxy wars and arms races are increasingly core features of the region’s politics, economics and international relations.

This conference will bring together scholars from different academic fields to consider these issues and what the future may look like, using varying theoretical and methodological approaches.

Call for papers

Both empirical and theoretical papers are welcome. Suggested topics are as follows:

IR & IPE theory and the MENA

the MENA in the old and emerging cold wars (esp. the MENA in US-Russian rivalry)

If you wish to present a paper, please submit an abstract of up to 200 words to Dr Imad El-Anis by Friday 17 February 2017. You will be notified of the decision on your abstract via email by Tuesday 28 February 2017.

Programme

Booking information

This one day conference is free to attend and open to members of the the public. Please click 'Reserve your place' above, and complete the short online booking process to reserve your place(s) at the conference.